WAR FOR TALENTS

Why do employees “sack” their employees and move on to a rival Organisation within the same sector of the economy? Why are some Organisations struggling at retaining their employees? Let us just not analyse why. Rather, let us remind ourselves of little things to be done in order to win the War for Talents. Remember, little hinges swing big doors.

Employee retention is a very important though often overlooked issue in many Organisations. A lot of times, it is until employee turnover becomes a burden on most Organisations that they begin to look into their Human Resource Management policies to find solutions. So they turn to Employee Retention Strategies.

The cost of employee turnover to an Organisation include both hidden and unhidden costs. The unhidden costs include replacement costs, that is the cost incurred to recruit and select a replacement for the vacant position, lost manhours, that is the hours of productive work that is lost while the position is vacant, and the loss of business clients especially in a service industry where a client might want to follow a particular employee who is leaving the Organisation.

Hidden costs of employee turnover include the cost of the knowledge that leaves with the departing employee, the damage to an organization’s reputation when customer service falters due to low staffing levels, the blow to employee morale and increased job stress when remaining employees are burdened with the distribution of the departed employee’s workload. The list goes on. It is a tough war!

To combat this problem, there are a few strategies that should be put in mind. These strategies must be incorporated into the Organisation`s Human Resource Policies.

First is that a proactive approach to employee retention must be developed before employee turnover becomes an issue. The best way to do this is to recruit and select the right mix of employees right from the start. The knowledge, skills and attitudes (KSA) of a prospective employee must be a perfect fit with the job role. This way, the Organisation will avoid looking for curative measures because turnover would have been greatly prevented. If people are not well suited for their job roles, it is just a matter of time before they move.

Second, Organisations must utilize HR practices that emphasize individual employee growth such as investing in the employee by providing opportunities for Training and Development. This will improve an employee`s morale and commitment to the Organisation. A lot of Organisations think continuous employee training is an unnecessary cost. Wiser Organisations know better.

Third is that the top Management must be made aware of the need for them to openly commit to employee retention. Employees will want to stay on if they hear and see their Management show appreciation for their continual stay with the Organisation.

Fourth is that frequent employees’ surveys must be done to identify specific retention-related issues that need to be addressed before they lead to reasons why employees will want to leave. Instruments that can be used carry out this research abound, if only we look in the right places to find these instruments.

Fifth is that Organisations must ensure that they offer a work/life balance programme that allows the employee balance their responsibilities at work, at home and every other facet of their lives so they can find a sense of enriched life. Why can’t Organisations provided creche services for nursing mothers in their Organisations? Have you asked why some big Corporations pay for their Staff to register at some Sports clubs? For business-enhancing social networking right? True, but there are also personal benefits that accrue to those who are part of such clubs. It helps them to keep fit physically, knowing that a sound mind in a sound body is a tremendous asset to the Organisation.

Sixth, Organisations must provide great opportunities for career advancements. Many people leave Organisations when they realise that they are stuck in the rungs with no upward movement in sight. Organisationa charts might need to be revisited and adjusted. It might not necessarily mean increasing the layers but positions on a level can be increased to allow for increased responsibilities.

Lastly, Organisations must have a reward system that is good enough to retain its talent. The goal is not necessarily to pay the industry highest but to find a good point where employees will feel that their labor is well rewarded. If the Organisation is careless, it will lose out in the War for Talents because people want to work for Organisations where they feel rewarded. It is a known fact that no employer actually pays the true worth or value of an employee, but please, employees do not want to feel ripped off.

Designing an Incentive Programme for your Employees.

Between employers and employees, monthly salary payment is a legal obligation. In Unionised environments, a default of two months in the payment of salaries can lead to Union agitations.

Incentives are not so. Incentives are not legal obligations from employers to employees. Incentives are additional rewards that employers give their employees to show some measure of appreciation for their excellent performance. It is also a source of motivation for employees who have gone the extra mile to contribute to the success of the Organisation.

As good as the idea of incentive program is, it is a very sensitive one. It must be carefully designed and implemented such that the result will not be negative. Some of the negative results that may arise from a not-well-designed and implemented incentive program are, first, employees might start looking for ways to cut corners to be able to receive incentives, for example, signing for extra hours which they did not work. Second, employees who do not qualify for the incentive package might resent those who get the incentive.

To design a very effective incentive program, several factors must be considered.

First is that the real motive for establishing the incentive program must be well laid out and it must be in line with the Organisation`s strategic objectives. This will ensure that the cost of the incentive program is covered and it is understood as money-well-spent.

Second is that the criteria for qualifying for the incentive must be well spelt out. A rule of thumb is that the Key Performance Indicators (KPI) are agreed upon between the Human Resource Management and the employees at the commencement of the program, or maybe at the beginning of the year. KPIs are certain parameters that are established as benchmarks against which the performance of an individual employee is measured. The KPIs must be simple to understand and straight forward to evaluate. The KPIs must be stated and documented such that both employee and employer can easily refer to it. KPIs must also be established for work teams. The point at which a performance is judged to be exceptional must be well known. For example, it could be an increase of 25% in sales or a 40% decrease in downtime in manufacturing. Any performance above these set limits will qualify for an incentive.

Third is that the incentive package must be value-adding to the recipient. For example, the Organisation can decide to sponsor an excellent salesman on a two weeks vacation or offer to give educational scholarships to children of high performers. This way, the Management is seen to be interested in the employees’ overall well-being. It also brings a “feel-good” factor into the incentive program and this is necessary for the emotions of the employees.

Fourth and lastly, the award of these incentives must be done openly. It should not be a secret affair. Seeing high-performing employees openly rewarded will serve as a motivation for other employees and make the recipients to see themselves as role-models, thereby, keeping up their motivation.

As business owners and managers, we can invest in employee incentive programmes and get multiple returns in increased productivity. This sure translates into a more impressive bottomline for the Organisation. Remember, one of the primary reasons for being in business is to make profit. Treat your staff well and watch your business perform better than before.

WHAT`S IN A NAME???

In someone`s life, one of the most frequent questions he is asked is “what is your name?” In the same vein, the most important introduction you have to do is to tell your name. What makes a name so important? Why do families, especially in Africa and similar cultures of the world attach so much importance to a name? Child-naming usually comes with a lot of celebrations and merry-making. Why, in the last few months, have some people named their children “Goodluck”? lol. Some names have assumed a larger-than-life dimension such that they have become Legends and Institutions.

In this brief discourse, let us examine what really is in a name. We shall do this on three levels. Please come with me on this adventure.

1. AN IDENTITY TO A PERSON: a name is basically to give an identity to a person. There `s a saying in my place that “a child is given a name so that he can be identified the day he causes trouble”. As sarcastic as it may sound, it aptly describes the basic functionally of a name. Brand specialists know the importance of a name.

Taking it a little further, a name gives more than an identity to a person. It allows other people to tag your character. Just as you tag pictures on Facebook and when you place the cursor on the person in the picture, the name appears, so it is in people`s mind when a particular Character is mentioned a name pops up. For example, if you grew up in Nigeria in the ‘80s, like me, when someone mentions “Armed Robber” around you, some names are likely to pop up in your mind e.g Lawrence Anini or Shina Rambo.

If I may ask, what kind of characters elicit your name in people`s minds? A lot of people resent IBB today because of his past deeds. A lot of people still idolise Gani Fawehinmi today, because of what he lived and died for.

The Good book says “a good name is better than silver”. Do you have a good name? What do people say about you in your absence? That is why it is dangerous to surround yourself with sycophants because they will never tell you the truth about yourself. People perceive what you project. If you project a good image, people will perceive you as a good person, and vice-versa.

2. A LEGACY FOR YOUR DESCENDANTS: the primary people who inherit your name are your descendants. Do you care so much about the name they inherit from you? If the fathers eat sour grapes, the teeth of the children will be set on the edge. Years ago, a friend of mine got a huge favor when he was seeking admission into the University from a stranger in the Admissions Office who heard his name. The stranger took him up and inquired about his family, only to find out that he was the son of the man who helped him (the stranger) to get Admission into the University, maybe some 20 years before then. Now the roles are reversed, my friend`s Dad is retired, having worked in another University, the person he helped to get admission now is helping his son to get admission. What kind of reception would your children get when you are far away? I met a man who is the grandson of a well-known occultic man. His grandfather was a national figure in an Occult group in Nigeria such that it was the National leadership of the occult that buried him when he died. For a long time, I could not stop thinking of this man without remembering the kind of person his grandfather was. Your actions today go a long way in determing the Legacy you bequeath your descendants.

3. A MONUMENT FOR YOUR COMMUNITY: there is a Cenotaph in the town-centre where I grew up (Ilesa, Nigeria). It is in memory of a man who died 100 years ago. Ogedengbe Agb’ogungb’oro was the warrior who defended my tribe during the days of inter-tribal war in the 19th century. For his bravery, he is still remembered. Obafemi Awolowo will be remembered forever because he brought free western education to Western Nigeria several decades ago. It is of no use if you live in a mansion and people in the next compound to you live in abject poverty. Some people adopt the Ostrich mentality and they go to live in beautiful estates where they are oblivious to the poverty in the environment. How much does it cost to make a bore-hole to give a community safe drinking water? Someone I know celebrated his 30th birthday some years ago by donating four bore-holes to different communities. He spent just a million naira to do that. You may not have a million naira but you definitely have something. Another person took the bills of giving series of career guidance clinics to several secondary schools in a community. What do you intend to be remembered for in your community? Do not be a serpent that passes on a rock and leaves no marks. Youth Corpers have built hospitals and roads for local communities in some interior parts of Nigeria. What can you do? Do something positive to make your name outlive you. Let your name be a monument for your Community. The least form of influence is only to benefit yourself and your family. Let people who are not related to you rise up and bless your name for making an impact on their lives. Build a monument in the hearts of men by your impact. Let your name be a monument.

A Peep into Nigeria`s Educational System

Recently, I had the opportunity of witnessing first hand the real situation of things in our Government secondary schools. I was posted to a government school within the city of Ibadan for my NYSC. At first, I thought that with my degree in Psychology I would get another posting apart from a school job. After a few days, I decided not to pursue a change.

The school was established several decades ago as a mission school but the Government has taken over for several years now.

The first thing I noticed was that the school had been fragmented into five (5). There is junior school 1, junior school 2, junior school 3, senior school 1 and senior school 2. I was told that this happened because the Government issued a policy that there should not be more than 30 students in a junior class and 40 students in a senior class.

Each school has its own Principal, VP and administrative staff. The office of the Principal is just a cubicle that can not take more than 2 people in with the Principal. I also discovered that there is no facility for Guidance and Counselling even though I was told one of the Teachers is a Guardian/Counsellor. I was interested in their G & C unit because of my background in Psychology but there is no space for the G & C office.

I also discovered that promotion in the Teaching service is so difficult and of little benefit. One of the Principals was recently promoted since the last promotion 11 years ago. The promotion brought about six thousand Naira (N6000) increase in Salary and three thousand Naira (N3000) increase in Tax, so the net increase is three thousand Naira (N3000). Even the paltry salary is not paid on time.

Lest i bore you with stories that do not gladden the heart I`d better stop. But then, let this ring out as a clarion call, from Lagos to Maiduguri, to Abonema, to Birnin-Kebbi and even the most unheard community in Nigeria, let true Patriots arise to the occasion and bring solutions. not just by talking but actually doing something tangible about the state of our educational system.

I have enlisted in this army and we shall take the land. If you are interested in joining us, drop a comment, send me a mail, call me on phone. The most important qualification you need is a PASSION for Nigeria and the future of Nigeria.

This is saying Happy Children`s Day to the Nigerian child. Even though the situation does not look like one that warrants a celebration, I want to say and proclaim that "THERE IS HOPE".

WHAT HAS GOD GOT TO DO WITH YOUR ACADEMICS?

Some weeks ago, the academic secretary of the christian fellowship I attended during my undergraduate days called me and asked me to contribute a little piece to their publication. He gave me the above topic and this is the write-up i gave him to publish, but hey, I still have the copyright, so it is being published here first.

It is usually said that life is in phases and men are in sizes. One very important phase of our lives is our academics. There is nothing such as a spiritual life or academic life. Life is one, but it has many phases, of which academics is just one of the many seamless interconnected phases. An example that comes readily to mind is the leather football. It has many shapes and sides. Take your academics as one of those 5 or 6 sided shapes on the football. Without one, the football is not complete. So it is that our lives are not complete if one area is missing.

The most important factor to realise in the pursuit of academic excellence is that God is as much concerned with our academics as with every other phase of our lives. Has it ever occurred to you that God did not create a world in which He would not be needed? It has been said that no one can understand the use of a product as much as the creator or inventor of the product. In the same vein, God created us and every aspect of our lives, so we can only come into full realisation of his intentions for our lives by acknowledging Him. Prov 3: 5 & 6 says “trust the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths smooth.”

Another important factor to consider is that wisdom is very crucial to academic excellence. Wisdom determines how you spend your time, what kind of people you move with, how you use available resources, how you make and execute plans. Wisdom is not bought in the supermarket. God is the source of true wisdom. James 1: 5 says “if any of you needs wisdom to know what you should do, you should ask God, and He will give it to you. God is generous to everyone and doesn`t find fault with them.”

God is concerned about you. He has good plans for you, to give you a future and a hope. Putting God first is important in our academics and also in every other phase of our lives. Learn to acknowledge God in all you do and never forget to ask Him for wisdom at every step of the way. The question this short piece started out to answer is “what has God got to do with my academics?” The answer is that God has everything to do with your academics because he said in the last part of John 15: 5 that “...without Me you can do nothing”

YOU WILL SUCCEED.

THE MEASURE OF A MAN pt.2

Having discussed about Creativity as a measure of a true man, we move on to discuss another important attribute – CHARACTER. By character I mean the true essence of who a person is. Character refers to the consistencies of a person`s words, thoughts and actions. Character refers to the real fabric of who you are. If I ask you that “who are you?” you will most likely tell me your name. That is not wrong, but the paradox is that your name does not fully answer the question “who are you?” What your name gives primarily, is an identity. It does not give a picture of who you really are. Character is what makes a name to become a brand. For a name to become a brand, it has to be associated with something. The very first and easiest thing your name can be associated with is your character.

Human beings hear in pictures. This is what I mean – if I mention the word “bag” to a 6 year old, what first comes to his mind is a mental picture of a bag. This is because he has seen a bag before and it had registered on his mind. If I say “hyrax”, he might ask me what that is. This is because he most likely has not seen one before. A hyrax is an ancient animal, so he might not have seen the picture anywhere.

In like manner, a person`s character is what creates a true picture of him in the mind of other people. Beyond your physical attributes, your character goes a long way to describe who you really are. So when your name is mentioned, your character is what comes to the mind of someone that knows you. Someone once said your character is who you are when no one is looking. That tells me that character is not formed in public. It is developed in private but it can not be hidden from the public. As my people will say “character is like smoke”.

How would the people who have known you for a long time describe you? What one word would such people use to describe you? A real man is a man of positive and enviable character. Will people who have met you describe you with any of the following words – dubious, wicked, selfish, greedy, violent, or will you be described with the following words – sincere, loyal, courageous, patient?

SINCERITY is a mark of being a real man. To be sincere is to be honest and open. How honest and open is your line of business? Do you pay the right kind of tax for your business? Can your clients and people you do business with take your word at face value? The Bible says let your “YES” be “YES” and your “NO” be “NO”. Can you be trusted to keep your word? Remember, your word is your bond. Be a real man, be sincere.

LOYALTY is a virtue in short supply. Loyalty means to be faithful to whatever cause you are involved in. You as a man are involved in several causes – family, work, business, friends, organisation, country and God. How committed are you to these causes. If you were committed to your family, you would be faithful to your wife and provide for your children. If you were committed to your nation, you would not soil her image. The wisest man who ever lived said “many a man will proclaim each his own goodness, but a faithful (loyal) man who can find”. You can be that faithful man.

COURAGE is the ability to face danger, difficulty, uncertainty, or pain without being overcome by fear or being deflected from a chosen course of action. Life they say, is not a bed of roses. There will be difficult times and there will be discouraging situations. Courage is not the absence of a storm but in spite of the storm, still steering towards your course. Courage is personal resoluteness in the face of danger or difficulties. As a man you can not afford to chicken out in difficult times. No soldier becomes a General without fighting and winning battles. Stand, fight and win. Like someone said, when I was in school and there was a student protest, “if we fight we may win but if we do not fight we have lost”. Be a man, if life throws you lemons, make lemonade.

PATIENCE is the capacity to wait for something. We live in a “Microwave generation”. There is instant coffee, instant food, instant cash, instant anything, and even instant miracles. We no longer want delayed gratification. We want it now. Life does not always favour the microwave mentality. The creator made life to run on processes. Think about it, God took six days to create the world, but could he not have created everything in an instant, since He is God? I think God wanted us to learn a lesson there. To always allow the process to take it`s full course. Real men understand the benefit of not disrupting process. Wait patiently, do not be driven by desperation. Children are the ones that always want it now. Be a man.

These character traits are not exhaustive. The list is endless. Real men of good character are scarce. This is a clarion for men of character in our generation. WILL THE REAL MEN PLEASE STAND UP?

THE MEASURE OF A MAN

Who do you think a real man is? How would you define real manhood? What are the attributes that you think describe a real man? Is it just about being “male”? Like the Porters in a female hostel in my University would announce at the close of the visiting hours “...all male men, please it is time to move out...”

You must have seen some adverts that describe what is perceived as being a man. One of such adverts shows an empty glass of beer; with the rider “...a man was here”. Another beer is advertised as “brewed for the strong”. Another describes “...greatness in every man”. The list is endless.

From another perspective, a man is described by the muscles; size, tone, shape and so on. A true man in that perspective has the six-packs, bulging biceps, the V-shaped trunk; looking like Governor Arnold. Physiologically, a man is expected to weigh not less than 70kg.

A real man in another sense is judged by how virile he is, i.e how many women he has been able to conquer in bed and probably put in the family way. In that wise, there are many “men” in traditional Africa. In Africa also, men don`t cry.

To some, a real man is seen by the “engine” in which he cruises, the kind of club he attends, and how much cash he throws around.

We could go on and on to describe how our generation perceives the true measure of a man.

I want to gainsay these popular opinions about the true measure of a man.

A real man is CREATIVE. To be creative is to move up from the lowest rung of the “life pyramid”. At the lowest rung, all you find is CONSUMERISM. Little wonder why all third world countries are consumer nations? As long as a person will not put to use the limitless power of imaginative ideas given him by God, he remains a consumer. A pointer to how creative a person can be is how much a person is able to achieve with little resources. I do not think the ability to be resourceful is given to only a few. If you must be creative, you must be able to think resourcefully. The greatest capital needed in any business venture is not money; it is resourceful thinking, bringing forth novel ideas. The greatest men in our world, either dead or alive, were men who saw problems as opportunities. Being resourceful about those problems launched them forth into greatness. A real man must be a person who holds the ace in at least one aspect of life.

A test to how creative you are. When last did someone around you come up to you to solve a problem and you delivered? Most men who show their greatness only at bars and clubs create more problems than they solve, if they ever solve any.

Men who drive civilization, economies, technologies, good governments, successful organisations and good families are creative people. They are problem solvers. They never wait on another person to solve their problems for them; they rather go all out to find solution to every problem around them. The best inventions that have made life so easy these days are the results of creative thinking. Infact, the most enduring names are not those perpetuated by biological offspring but rather by products bearing the name of their creators. Do you know Rank Xerox is a person`s name? So also is Ford, Mercedes, Daewoo and so on. Do you know about Ford`s biological children? But at least, you know the Ford Motors – his brainchild. Believe me, brainchildren outlive biological children. Bill Gates would be remembered 300 years from now, not because of his sons but because of Microsoft. Which would you rather have? I want both anyway.

The pyramid is fully loaded at the base. If you want to move up, then step up your CREATIVITY QUOTIENT. There is no limit to how far you can move up on the life pyramid if you become a problem solver.

There are a lot of creative people in our world but we can never have enough of them. You can do much more than all those who have gone ahead. You can bring creativity to bear in your own little corner of the world. Think globally, but don`t be deceived not to act locally. There is a lot you can do for your family, your organisation, your neighbourhood and so on. Be counted for something. You can make a difference. Don`t just be the neighbourhood bully, be the neighbourhood lifesaver.

TO BE CONTINUED...

I pledge to Nigeria...

I pledge to Nigeria my country,

To be faithful, loyal and honest,

To serve Nigeria with all my strength,

To defend her unity,

And uphold her honor and glory.

So help me God.

Almost everyone who grew up in post-independence Nigeria can remember saying this pledge every morning at school. Morning assembly was not complete until pupils said the pledge. Looking back, I think we should have taken it more seriously than just being for primary school pupils.

What really does a pledge mean? It is a solemn vow that one promises to keep and fulfill. It is a pledge to …Nigeria my country. Meaning that, the nation Nigeria is supposed to be personalized by every citizen. You can`t ever take anything about Nigeria too personal because it is ‘your Nigeria and my Nigeria. Do you ever think that you have a personal stake in Nigeria? You sure do. See Nigeria as your personal possession.

You and I pledged to be faithful, loyal and honest. If you really consider it, it is such a lofty vow that we all made to Nigeria, howbeit unconsciously. Faithfulness is simply a measure of how dependable a person is, especially when things are bad. Being faithful to Nigeria means you can still be trusted to do what is right, even when it is not convenient to do so.

A wise man once said, “depending on an unfaithful friend in times of crisis is like chewing with a broken tooth or walking with a crippled foot”. Simply, an unfaithful person is a source of handicap rather than an asset. Can Nigeria have faith in you to do things right? We seem to have had a difficult time understanding the concept of “the rule of law”. This is so because we have not learnt to always do things right, no matter the situation and circumstance. Simply, faithfulness is the reason why a married man will not take a very good opportunity to have a fling with a colleague when they both travel abroad on an official trip. At least, they are both far away from home and no one will know. He does not take such opportunity because being far away from where anyone will know still does not make it right. We seem to have come to perceive being right as relative, but I am sorry to say, it is rather absolute.

Our perception of right and wrong seem to have been dulled by several years of not finding any benchmark about right and wrong to which we can refer to as a nation. What seems to define right from wrong is that whatever benefits you is right and whatever does not benefit you is not right. This faulty perception is clearly against the vow we took in the primary school to be faithful, loyal and honest to Nigeria.

Anyway, notwithstanding how bad things may seem for us as a country, I see hope (not referring to the book written by a former head of state). I see hope in a new crop of Nigerians. Men and women who are renewing the pledge they took in primary school. Men and women who live by the values that will eventually create a new Nigeria. These men and women are the prime citizens of a new Nigeria. I belong to this elite group. Do you want to know more about us? Spare a few minutes and visit newnigeriaclub.net/authentic You will be glad you did.